Ministry of Justice Strives to Eradicate the "Hit, Die, Pay and Escape" Mindset in Traffic Accidents
Phnom Penh, 12 July 2024: A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice stated that judicial reforms in Cambodia are effectively eliminating the mindset that perpetrators of fatal traffic accidents can avoid accountability through payment.
The court system now adheres to the principle that "right or wrong depends on the facts, the law, and the evidence." Drivers who violate traffic laws and cause fatal accidents must be held strictly accountable according to legal standards.
This shift means that those who commit serious traffic offenses are liable under criminal law. Concurrently, judicial reforms have significantly reduced case backlogs in Cambodian courts.
A press release from the Ministry of Justice on July 10, 2024, detailed the progress of these reforms. Keut Rith, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Justice, and Chairman of the Campaign Command, chaired a meeting to review the results of a six-month campaign with notable outcomes:
Case Handling: Courts and prosecutors across Cambodia handled 78,365 criminal, civil, and other cases, representing 64% of the total 121,553 cases.
Complaint Resolution: The Campaign Command received 786 complaints from citizens regarding irregular court actions, of which 630 cases were resolved, equating to 80%. Of the 698 complaints requesting investigations into irregularities, 36% were addressed by the court.
CASE RESOLUTION:
Registrar Cases: All 98,983 registrar cases pending before the campaign announcement were resolved 100% by March 22, 2024. Of the 21,835 newly registered civil cases, 19,798 were settled, accounting for 90% of the total.
Traffic Accident Cases: Out of 3,460 traffic accident cases nationwide (both old and new), 2,438 cases were resolved, equivalent to 70% of the total.
Drug Cases: Courts and prosecutors nationwide adhered to "transparency" principles, issuing regular press releases on drug cases at all prosecution and court stages. The courts handled 297 gang-related cases involving 1,616 suspects.
The Ministry of Justice emphasized that false perceptions and outdated practices are being dismantled to ensure justice and accountability in all legal matters, particularly in traffic accident cases.
